5

This is a channel strip (mic pre, compressor, eq) made by Neve, originally as part of the Neve Consoles. They've since been taken out of consoles and sold individually by collectors, as the pre-amps alone are really valuable and in-demand. This is an analog strip, as it goes back to the pre-digital days of yore. The one that I used was in a custom-built console which used different mic pres, some of which were Neves. I don't know what the connection was as I didn't ask but I am sure that if you bought this mic-pre outside of a console it's have XLR connections.

UTILIZATION

Getting a good sound with a Neve mic pre of any kind should be really easy to any competent engineer. This one is no exception. This mic pre sounds phenomenal, and getting the right sound is as easy as taking the time to find the right mic placement. The mic pre contains a trim and gain knob on top, followed by high and low pass filters which can be activated via a switch, and followed then by a parametric four-band EQ, which can also be activated or bypassed via a switch. There is a phase reverse control as well.

SOUND QUALITY

This is a great sounding pre-amp. As its older and not as clear as the newer mic pres, it's not the most transparent mic pre I've ever heard, but that's no complaint. In fact, it tends to make everything a little warmer and fatter for the most part, if it changes anything at all. Plus, the EQ on it is phenomenal. It somehow seems to amplify only the good parts of a signal. It basically makes things sound incredible. I know that some people prefer not to EQ right away but I couldn't help using the EQs at tracking, as they brought everything out so much.
I haven't used this with a tape machine, so I can't comment on that. I know that in Pro Tools, these still come out sounding great, even if they predate the software by about 30 or so years!

OVERALL OPINION

I was reminded at the absolutely stellar quality of Neve pre-amps when I used this, but I also found quite a treat in the EQ and filters on this thing as well. I don't think I'll get to use one again until I go back to the studio that has the console, but I plan on doing that as soon as I get involved with a project that has the budget for it. I highly recommend this channel strip.